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| City of Pittsburgh | |||
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| Nickname(s): City of Bridges, Steel City, The 'Burgh, Iron City, The Smokey City, Steel Town, The College City,The City of Champions, Roboburgh, Blitzburgh | |||
| Motto: Benigno Numine ("With the Benevolent Deity" also translated as "By the favor of heaven") | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country |  United States |
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| Commonwealth |  Pennsylvania |
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| County |  Allegheny |
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| Founded | November 25, 1758 | ||
| Incorporated | April 22, 1794 (borough) | ||
| March 18, 1816 (city) | |||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Luke Ravenstahl (D) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 58.3 sq mi (151.1 km2) | ||
| - Land | 55.5 sq mi (143.9 km2) | ||
| - Water | 2.8 sq mi (7.1 km2) | ||
| - Metro | 5,343 sq mi (13,839 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 1,223 ft (372.77 m) | ||
| Population (U.S. Census Estimate, 2006) | |||
| - City | 312,819 | ||
| - Density | 5,636/sq mi (2,174/km2) | ||
| - Metro | 2,462,571 | ||
| [1][2] | |||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 412, 724, 878 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-61000[3] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1213644[4] | ||
| Website: www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us | |||
Pittsburgh (pronounced /ˈpɪtsbɚg/ (originally pronounced /ˈpɪtsb(ə)rə/)) is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania[5] with a population of 312,819.[6] The population of the eight-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571.[7] The city's Downtown retains substantial economic influence, ranking at 25th in the nation for jobs within the urban core (and is sixth in job density).[8]
The characteristic shape of downtown is a triangular tract carved by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, where the Ohio River forms. The skyline features 151 high-rise buildings,[9] 446 bridges,[10] two inclined railways, and a pre-revolutionary fortification. Pittsburgh is known colloquially as "The City of Bridges" and "The Steel City" for its many bridges and former steel manufacturing base.
While the city is historically known for its steel industry, today it is largely based on healthcare, education, technology, robotics, fashion, and financial services. The city has made great strides in redeveloping abandonded industrial sites with new housing, shopping and offices, such as the SouthSide Works. While Pittsburgh faced economic troubles in the mid 1970s as the steel industry waned, modern Pittsburgh is economically strong. The housing market is relatively stable despite a national subprime mortgage crisis, and Pittsburgh has added jobs in 2008 even as the national economy is in a significant jobs recession.[11] This positive economic news is in contrast to 30 years ago when Pittsburgh lost its manufacturing base as those jobs moved offshore.
In 2007, Forbes magazine named Pittsburgh the 10th cleanest city,[12] and in 2008 Forbes listed Pittsburgh as the 13th best city for young professionals to live.[13] The city is consistently ranked high in livability surveys. In 2007, Pittsburgh was named "America's Most Livable City" by Places Rated Almanac.[14]
Contents |
Pittsburgh was named in 1758 by General John Forbes in honor of the British statesman, Sir William Pitt. Given that Forbes was a Scotsman, some speculate the intended pronunciation of the settlement was "Pittsburra", similar to the pronunciation of Edinburgh. It was incorporated as a borough in 1794 and chartered as a city in 1816.[15]
Pittsburgh was officially named with its present spelling on April 22, 1794, by an act of the Pennsylvania Department, stating, "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that the said town of Pittsburgh shall be, and the same is hereby, erected into a borough, which shall be called the borough of Pittsburgh for ever."[16]
Pittsburgh is one of the few American cities to be spelled with an h at the end of a burg suffix. This style is commonly used for many other cities and towns of Western Pennsylvania.[17] While briefly referred to as "Pittsburg" during the late 19th century, the Pittsburgh spelling was officially restored in 1911 after a public campaign by the citizens of the city.[16]
The area surrounding the headwaters of the Ohio was inhabited by the tribes of Allegawis, Adena, Hopewell, Delaware, Jacobi, Seneca, Shawnee, and several settled groups of Iroquois.[citation needed] The first European was the French discoverer/trader Sieur de La Salle in his 1669 expedition down the Ohio River from Lake Ontario and Quebec.[19] This discovery was followed by European pioneers, primarily French, in the early 1700s and 1710s. Michael Bezallion was the first to describe the forks of the Ohio in a manuscript in 1717, and later that year European traders established posts and settlements in the area.[20] In 1749, French soldiers from Quebec launched a serious expedition to the forks in hopes of uniting French Canada with French Louisiana via the rivers.[20] Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia sent Major George Washington to warn the French to withdraw. During 1753–1754, the British hastily built Fort Prince George, but a larger French expedition forced them to evacuate and constructed Fort Duquesne on the site. With the French citing the 1669 discovery by LaSalle, these events led to the French and Indian War. British General Edward Braddock's campaign (with Washington as his aide) to take Fort Duquesne failed, but General John Forbes's subsequent campaign succeeded. After the French abandoned and destroyed Fort Duquesne in 1758, Forbes ordered the construction of Fort Pitt, named after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder. He also named the settlement between the rivers "Pittsborough".[21]
During Pontiac's Rebellion, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes tribes besieged Fort Pitt for two months. The siege was ended after Colonel Bouquet defeated the native forces in the Battle of Bushy Run just to the east of the forks.
In the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the descendants of William Penn purchased from the Six Nations western lands that included most of the present site of Pittsburgh. In 1769, a survey was made of the land situated between the two rivers, called the "Manor of Pittsburgh".[22] Both Virginia and Pennsylvania claimed the Pittsburgh area during colonial times and would continue to do so until 1780 when both states agreed to extend the Mason-Dixon Line westward, placing Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
Following the American Revolution, the village of Pittsburgh continued to grow. One of its earliest industries was building boats for settlers to enter the Ohio Country. In 1784, the laying out of the "Town of Pittsburgh" was completed by Thos. Viceroy of Bedford County and approved by the attorney of the Penns in Philadelphia. The year 1794 saw the short-lived Whiskey Rebellion. The Act of March 5, 1804, which modified the provision of the old charter of the Borough of Pittsburgh in 1794 (the original of which is not known to exist), refers throughout to the "Borough of Pittsburgh".[22][citations needed]
The War of 1812 cut off the supply of British goods, stimulating American manufacture. By 1815, Pittsburgh was producing significant quantities of iron, brass, tin and glass products. The Act of March 18, 1816 incorporated the City of Pittsburgh. The original charter was burned when the old Court House was destroyed by fire. In the 1830s, many Welsh people from the steelworks of Merthyr migrated to the city following the civil strife and aftermath of the Merthyr Riots of 1831. By the 1840s, Pittsburgh was one of the largest cities west of the Allegheny Mountains. A great fire burned over a thousand buildings in 1845, but the city rebuilt. By 1857, Pittsburgh's 1,000 factories were consuming 22,000,000 bushels of coal yearly.
The American Civil War boosted the city's economy with increased production of iron and armaments. Steel production began by 1875, when Andrew Carnegie founded the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works in North Braddock, which eventually evolved into the Carnegie Steel Company. The success and growth of Carnegie Steel was attributed to Henry Bessemer, inventor of the Bessemer Process.
In 1901, the U.S. Steel Corporation was formed, and by 1911 Pittsburgh was producing between a third and a half of the nation's steel. The city's population swelled to half a million, many of whom were immigrants from Europe who arrived via the great migration through Ellis Island. During World War II, Pittsburgh produced 95 million tons of steel.[21] By this time, the pollution from burning coal and steel production created a black fog (or smog), which even a century earlier had induced author writer James Parton to dub the city "hell with the lid off".[23]
Following the war, the city launched a clean air and civic revitalization project known as the "Renaissance." This much-acclaimed effort was followed by the "Renaissance II" project, begun in 1977 and focusing more on cultural and neighborhood development than its predecessor. The industrial base continued to expand through the 1960s, but beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, the steel industry in the region imploded, with massive layoffs and mill closures.
Beginning in the 1980s, the city shifted its economic base to education, tourism, and services, largely based on healthcare, medicine, and high technology such as robotics. During this transition, however, the city's population shrank from 680,000 in 1950 to 330,000 in 2000.[24]
Pittsburgh is located at Coordinates: (40.441419, -79.977292).[25] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 58.3 sq mi (151 km2), of which, 55.6 sq mi (144 km2) of it is land and 2.8 sq mi (7 km2) of it is water. The total area is 4.75% water.
The city is on the Allegheny Plateau, where the confluence of the Allegheny River from the northeast and Monongahela River from the southeast form the Ohio River. The Downtown area between the rivers is known as the Golden Triangle, and the site at the actual convergence, which is occupied by Point State Park, is referred to simply as "the Point." In addition to the downtown Golden Triangle, the city extends northeast to include the Oakland and Shadyside sections, which are home to the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Museum and Library, and many other educational, medical, and cultural institutions.
Pittsburgh occupies the slopes of the river valley on the opposite side of the Monongahela and the ridges beyond. Many of the city's neighborhoods, particularly the city's North Side and those areas south of the Bungalow, are steeply sloped. In fact, of all U.S. cities, only San Francisco and Seattle have more extreme terrain.
This topography is often utilized for physical activity. The city has some 712 sets of stairs, comprising 44,645 treads and 24,090 vertical feet (more than San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Portland, Oregon combined) for pedestrians to traverse its many hills. With the drop of pedestrian traffic across much of the city, and the fact that many of these stairs are outside nuclear neighborhoods, many have fallen into disrepair, covered with vines and weeds. There are hundreds of 'paper streets' composed entirely of stairs and many other steep streets with stairs for sidewalks.[26] Many provide views of the Pittsburgh area.[27]
The city has established bike and walking trails along its riverfronts and hollows, but steep hills and variable weather can make biking challenging. However, the city will be connected to downtown Washington, D.C. (some 245 mi (394 km) away) by a continuous bike/running trail through the Alleghenies and along the Potomac Valley. Known as the Great Allegheny Passage and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, about 95% of this trail has been completed.
Pittsburgh has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) on the Koppen climate classification.[28] This climate is quite diverse, and Pittsburgh features a colder and longer winter than Orlando, which is also in this climate zone. Therefore, Pittsburgh's climate can be thought of as a hybrid between humid subtropical (Cfa) and humid continental (Dfa). The city's climate features abundant precipitation throughout the year and four defined seasons. While there are wide variations in seasonal temperature common to temperate climates, winters are somewhat moderated by both proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and mountains that block the advance of cold air from the north. However, Pittsburgh's average winter temperatures are notably lower than that of Philadelphia. Overall, the city's climate features cold winters with snow, and warm, humid summers with frequent clouds and precipitation.
The warmest month of the year in Pittsburgh, as in most of the northern hemisphere, is July. The average high temperature is 83 °F (28 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 62 °F (17 °C). July is often humid, resulting in a considerable heat index. The coldest month of the year is January, when the average high temperature is 37 °F (3 °C). Overnight low temperatures average 20 °F (−7 °C). The moderating influence of Pittsburgh's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is evident in the fact that Chicago, which is less than 110 mi (177 km) north of Pittsburgh (and about 400 miles (640 km) west), experiences average January temperatures 7°F (4°C) colder on average. The highest temperature ever recorded in Pittsburgh was 101 °F (38 °C), on July 16, 1988, and the coldest temperature ever recorded was −19 °F (−28 °C), on January 19, 1994.[29]
Due to its position on the windward side of the Allegheny Mountains, Pittsburgh receives heavy precipitation, and many days are subject to overcast skies. Precipitation is greatest in May, due to frequent thunderstorms and more organized low pressure systems which track up the eastern coast of the United States. On average, 4.04 in (103 mm) of precipitation falls during this month. The driest month of the year is February, when most precipitation falls in the form of low moisture content snow. However, Pittsburgh's February precipitation, 2.47 in (63 mm), is relatively heavy compared to other cities located further inland, mainly because the city is east enough that it can be impacted by Nor'easters in some way, but usually lighter than in the central and eastern parts of the state.[citation needed]
 Weather averages for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
76 (24) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
97 (36) |
92 (33) |
85 (29) |
79 (26) |
74 (23) |
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| Average high °F (°C) | 37 (3) |
39 (4) |
50 (10) |
62 (17) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
64 (18) |
53 (12) |
42 (6) |
|
| Average low °F (°C) | 20 (-7) |
21 (-6) |
29 (-2) |
38 (3) |
48 (9) |
56 (13) |
62 (17) |
60 (16) |
53 (12) |
41 (5) |
33 (1) |
25 (-4) |
|
| Record low °F (°C) | -19 (-28) |
-2 (-19) |
2 (-17) |
21 (-6) |
29 (-2) |
38 (3) |
37 (3) |
47 (8) |
35 (2) |
22 (-6) |
13 (-11) |
2 (-17) |
|
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 2.59 (65.8) |
2.47 (62.7) |
3.24 (82.3) |
3.07 (78) |
4.04 (102.6) |
3.93 (99.8) |
3.90 (99.1) |
3.15 (80) |
3.13 (79.5) |
2.35 (59.7) |
3.05 (77.5) |
2.86 (72.6) |
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| Source: The Weather Channel[30] 2008-01-26 | |||||||||||||
The city can be broken down into the Downtown area, called the Golden Triangle,[31] and four main areas surrounding it. These four surrounding areas are further subdivided into distinct neighborhoods (in total, Pittsburgh contains 90 neighborhoods.[32]) These areas, relative to downtown, are known as the North Side, South Side/South Hills, East End, and West End.
Downtown Pittsburgh is tight and compact, featuring many skyscrapers, 9 of which top 500 ft (152 m). U.S. Steel Tower is the tallest at 841 ft (256 m).[33] The Cultural District comprises a 14 block area of downtown along the Allegheny River. It is packed with theaters and arts venues, and is seeing a growing residential segment. Most significantly, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is embarking on Riverparc, a 4-block mixed-use "green" community, featuring 700 residential units and multiple towers between 20–30 stories. The Firstside portion of downtown borders the Monongahela River and the historic Mon Wharf. This area is home to the distinctive PPG Place Gothic glass skyscraper complex. This area too, is seeing a growing residential sector, as new condo towers are constructed and historic office towers are converted to residential use. Downtown is serviced by the Port Authority's light rail and multiple bridges leading north and south.[34] It is also home to Point Park University, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Culinary Institute, a Robert Morris University branch campus and Duquesne University which is located on the border of Downtown and Uptown.
The North Side is home to various neighborhoods in transition. What is known today as Pittsburgh's North Side was once known as Allegheny City and operated as a city independently of Pittsburgh. Allegheny City merged with Pittsburgh under great protest from its citizens. The North Side is primarily composed of residential neighborhoods and is noteworthy for well-constructed and architecturally interesting homes. Many buildings date from the 19th century and are constructed of brick or stone and adorned with decorative woodwork, ceramic tile, slate roofs and stained glass. The North Side is also home to many popular attractions such as Heinz Field, PNC Park, Carnegie Science Center, National Aviary, Andy Warhol Museum, Mattress Factory installation art museum, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Penn Brewery and Allegheny Observatory.
The South Side was once an area composed primarily of dense inexpensive housing for mill workers, but has in recent years become a local Pittsburgher destination. In fact, South Side is one of the most popular neighborhoods in which to own a home in Pittsburgh. The value of homes in the South Side has increased in value by about 10 percent annually for the past 10 years. The South Side's East Carson Street is one of the most vibrant areas of the city, packed with diverse shopping, ethnic eateries, pulsing nightlife and live music venues. In 1993 the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property, and worked together with the community and various developers to create a master plan for a mixed-use development including a riverfront park, office space, housing, health-care facilities, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers indoor practice fields. Construction began in 1998, and the Southside Works is now open for business with many store, restaurants, offices, and the world headquarters for American Eagle Outfitters.[35]
The East End is home to the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University, Chatham University, The Carnegie Institute's Museums of Art and Natural History, Frick Art & Historical Center (Clayton and the Frick art museum), Phipps Conservatory, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The neighborhoods of Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are large, wealthy neighborhoods featuring large shopping/business districts. Oakland, heavily populated by undergraduate and graduate students, is home to most of the universities, Schenley Park and the Petersen Events Center. Bloomfield is Pittsburgh's Little Italy and is known for its Italian restaurants and grocers. Lawrenceville is a revitalizing rowhouse neighborhood popular with artists and designers. The Strip District is a popular open-air marketplace by day and one of Pittsburgh's hottest clubbing destinations by night.
The West End includes Mt. Washington, with its famous view of the Downtown skyline and numerous other residential neighborhoods like Sheraden and Elliott.
Pittsburgh's patchwork of neighborhoods still retain an ethnic character reflecting the city's immigrant history. These include:
Several neighborhoods on the edges of the city are less urban, featuring tree-lined streets, yards and garages giving a more characteristic suburban feel, while other aforementioned neighborhoods, such as Oakland, the South Side, the North Side, and the Golden Triangle are characterized by a more diverse, urban feel.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 4,768 |
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| 1820 | 7,248 | 52% | |
| 1830 | 12,568 | 73.4% | |
| 1840 | 21,115 | 68% | |
| 1850 | 46,601 | 120.7% | |
| 1860 | 49,221 | 5.6% | |
| 1870 | 86,076 | 74.9% | |
| 1880 | 156,389 | 81.7% | |
| 1890 | 238,617 | 52.6% | |
| 1900 | 321,616 | 34.8% | |
| 1910 | 533,905 | 66% | |
| 1920 | 588,343 | 10.2% | |
| 1930 | 669,817 | 13.8% | |
| 1940 | 671,659 | 0.3% | |
| 1950 | 676,806 | 0.8% | |
| 1960 | 604,332 | −10.7% | |
| 1970 | 520,117 | −13.9% | |
| 1980 | 423,938 | −18.5% | |
| 1990 | 369,879 | −12.8% | |
| 2000 | 334,563 | −9.5% | |
According to the 2000 census there were 334,563 individuals, 163,739 households, and 74,169 families within the city limits. The population of the surrounding metropolitan area was 2,658,695. The largest groups in terms of race were 67.63% White, 27.12% African American, 2.75% Asian, and 1.32% Hispanic (of any race). The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,588, with 20.4% of the population living below the poverty line.
The five largest ethnic groups in the city of Pittsburgh are German (19.7%), Irish (15.8%), Italian (11.8%), Polish (8.4%), and English (4.6%), while the metropolitan area is approximately 22% German, and 16% Irish, and 12% Italian. Pittsburgh has one of the largest Italian communities in the nation,[36] and also has the nation's fifth largest Ukrainian community,[37] as well as some of the largest Croatian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Serbian communities.
As of 2002 Census data, Pittsburgh ranks 22nd of 69 urban places in the U.S. in terms of number of residents 25 years or older who have completed a Bachelor's degree, with 31% of such people having completed the degree.[38] The same study ranks Pittsburgh 15th of the 69 places in terms of number of residents 25 years or older who have completed a high school degree, with a figure of 84.7%.[39]
Despite the high poverty rate, Pittsburgh once had one of the lowest property crime rates and a lower-than-average violent crime rate among cities of similar size.[40] But recent crime statistics show violent crime has risen, although most of the rising crime statistics reflect crimes committed by known assailants.[41]
As of 2003, statistics indicate that the Pittsburgh murder rate is 2.61 times the national average, which is considered high for a city of its size. Overall, the ‘violent crime’ rate for the city is about twice the national average, while the ‘property’ or non-violent crime rate is about 1.11 times the national average.[42]
The growth of Pittsburgh and its economy was caused by the extensive trade in steel. Pittsburgh has since adapted to the collapse of the region's steel industry. The primary industries have shifted more to high technology, such as robotics, health care, nuclear engineering, tourism, biomedical technology, finance, and services. The region’s technology industries, when taken in aggregate, their total annual payroll exceeds $10.8 billion.[43] Education is also a major employer, from primary through magnet schools, specialized professional institutes and highly-ranked universities. In fact, Pittsburgh still maintains its status as a corporate headquarters city, with seven Fortune 500 companies calling the city home. This ranks Pittsburgh in a tie for the eighth-most Fortune 500 headquarters in the nation.[44] In 2006, Expansion Magazine ranked Pittsburgh among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business expansion.[45]
Pittsburgh has grown its industry base in recent years to include technology, retail, finance and medicine. The largest employer in the city is the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (26,000 employees) and the University of Pittsburgh (10,700 employees).[46]
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Fortune 500 Corporations: |
Fortune 1000 Corporations: |
Pittsburgh is also home to Bayer USA and the operations center of Alcoa. Other major employers include Bank of New York Mellon, GlaxoSmithKline and Lanxess. Pittsburgh is the Northeast U.S. regional headquarters for Nova Chemicals, FedEx Ground, Ariba, Rand, and National City. Guru.com, 84 Lumber, Giant Eagle, Highmark, Rue 21, and GENCO are major non-public companies with headquarters in the region. Other major companies headquartered in Pittsburgh include General Nutrition Center (GNC) and CNX Gas (CXG), a subsidiary of Consol Energy.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, wealthy businessmen and nonprofit organizations donated millions of dollars to create educational and cultural institutions. As a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture.
Among the professional music venues, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs in Heinz Hall, and the Pittsburgh Opera performs in the Benedum Center. Both The Benedum Center and Heinz Hall provide venues for other groups, such as the River City Brass Band and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Pittsburgh has a long tradition of jazz, blues and bluegrass music. Pittsburgh also has a large indie and punk rock scene. Additionally the National Negro Opera Company was founded in Pittsburgh, and was the first all African-American opera company in the United States. This led to the prominence of African-American singers like Leontyne Price in the world of opera.
Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater host a variety of dance events. Polka, folk, square and round dancing have a long history in the city and are celebrated by the internationally famous Duquesne University Tamburitzans, a multicultural academy dedicated to the preservation and presentation of folk songs and dance.
Pittsburgh museums include the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Frick Art & Historical Center and the Mattress Factory. Installation art is featured outdoors at ArtGardens of Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has extensive dinosaur collections and an Ancient Egypt wing. The Carnegie Science Center is technology oriented. The Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum are located in the Strip District. The unusual and eclectic Bayernhof Music Museum is six miles (9 km) from downtown. There is a quarterly Gallery Crawl in the downtown area's cultural district that is free and open to the public to enjoy the local art scene as well as the Three Rivers Arts Festival, which takes place in the same downtown area annually during the summer.
In theater, the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park University has four resident companies of professional actors. Other companies include Attack Theatre, Bricolage Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Quantum Theater. The city's longest-running theatre show, Friday Nite Improvs, is an improv jam that has been performed in the Cathedral of Learning and other locations for 17 years.
Pittsburgh's most famous native writer was Rachel Carson, a Chatham College (now Chatham University) graduate from the Pittsburgh suburb of Springdale, Pennsylvania. Modern writers include Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson and Michael Chabon with his Pittsburgh-focused commentary on student and college life. Two-time Pultizer Prize winner and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, David McCullough was born and raised in Pittsburgh.[47] Annie Dillard, a Pultizer Prize winning writer, was born and raised in Pittsburgh. New writers include Chris Kuzneski who attended the University of Pittsburgh and mentions Pittsburgh in his books. Pittsburgh's unique literary style extends to playwrights,[48] as well as local graffiti and hip-hop artists.
There is a Pittsburgh fantasy, macabre and science fiction genre popularized by film director George Romero, television personality Bill Cardille's Chiller Theatre,[49] film director and writer Rusty Cundieff[50] and makeup effects guru Tom Savini.[51] Today, the genre continues through the PARSEC writers organization[52] and several local Writer's Workshops including Write or Die,[53] The Pittsburgh SouthWrites,[54] and the Pittsburgh Worldwrights[55] founded by Mary Soon Lee[56] and continued by protegees Barton Paul Levenson, Kenneth Chiacchia, Pete Butler, Chris Ferrier, Robert L. Nansel and the poet Elizabeth Penrose. Mark Menold[57] showcases the classic Pittsburgh zombie tradition through cinematic and televised works on The It's Alive Show and by holding the annual "Zombie Fest".
The Pittsburgh English dialect, which may be popularly referred to as, "Pittsburghese", derives from influences from the Scottish-Irish, Welsh, German, Central European and Eastern European immigrants. Locals who speak in this dialect are sometimes referred to as "Yinzers" (from the local word for "you guys/people", yinz [var. yunz]). The dialect has some tonal similarities to other nearby regional dialects (ie, Erie, Baltimore), but is noted for its somewhat staccato rhythms. The staccato qualities of the Pittsburgh dialect have been suggested to originate either from Welsh or from Eastern European immigrants. It also has so many local peculiarities that the New York Times described Pittsburgh as, "the Galapagos Islands of American dialect".[58] The lexicon itself contains notable cognates borrowing from Serbian and other Slavic and European languages. Examples include babushka, pierogi, and halušky.[59]
Pittsburgh is home to many nationally and internationally-renowned attractions, including the United States' most comprehensive single-artist museum, two of the three remaining funicular incline cars in the United States, and the Cathedral of Learning, the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere. Pittsburgh is also the home of the country's National Aviary. The Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens features a Victorian-style greenhouse, and The Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania and Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden, other important attractions, are also located in the area. Lord Venkateswara temple[60] is another major attraction and is one of the biggest Hindu temples in the USA.
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Pittsburgh often places high in lists of the nation's most livable cities. After placing fourth and first in the first two editions of "Places Rated Almanac", Pittsburgh went on to finish third in 1989, fifth in 1993, 14th in 1997 and 12th in 2000, before reclaiming the number one spot in 2007.[62] The survey's primary author, David Savageau, has noted that Pittsburgh is the only city to finish in the top 20 of every edition[citation needed].
In 2005, The Economist ranked Pittsburgh and Cleveland the top most livable cities in the United States, and tied the cities for 26th worldwide. In the 2004, 820-page book by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander, "Cities Ranked and Rated", Pittsburgh came in at #28.[citation needed]
Livability rankings typically consider factors such as cost of living, crime, and cultural opportunities. Pittsburgh has a low cost of living compared to other cities in the northeastern U.S. The average price for a 3- to 4-bedroom, 2-bath family home in Pittsburgh is $162,000,[citation needed] which is well below the national average of $264,540, as of October 2004, according to the Federal Housing Finance Board.[citation needed]
In 2007, the American Lung Association ranked the Pittsburgh area as the nation's second most polluted metropolitan area, behind Los Angeles.[63] This ranking is disputed by the Allegheny County Health Department, since data from only one of Pittsburgh's 20 air quality monitors were used by the ALA. Furthermore, the monitor used is located downwind of U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works, the nation's largest coke plant.[64]
Pittsburgh's dedication to sports has a long history. Pittsburgh is the only city where all major sports teams (Steelers, Penguins, and the Pirates) share the same two colors, black and gold. The Passion use these colors as well. Although unofficial, the color scheme is used by the city's police department, fire department and are the dominant colors on the flag and seal. Many downtown fire hydrants use the same color scheme.
As home to two of the most successful[citation needed] teams in baseball's former Negro League, the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays (credited with as many as 14 titles between them and with 11 hall of famers), as well as the first Major League Baseball team to field an all-black lineup, the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, "no city is more synonymous with black baseball than Pittsburgh."[65]
The Pittsburgh Pirates play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions. The Pirates are also often referred to as the Bucs or sometimes the Buccos (derived from buccaneer). The franchise has won five World Series with the last being won in 1979 against the Baltimore Orioles.
PNC Park is annually ranked as one of the best if not the best Major League parks.[66]
Professional basketball has also played a role in the city's sports landscape since the 1960s. The Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors, Pittsburgh Rens, Pittsburgh Hard Hats, Pittsburgh Piranhas and the Pittsburgh Pit Bulls have all called the Steel City their home.
The Dukes of Duquesne University had much basketball success in the first half of the 20th century and again in the 60s and 70s.
The most successful basketball team in Pittsburgh is the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. The Pitt Panthers are currently ranked 1st in the nation in the Associated Press and Coaches polls (1/05/09),[67] and are a perennial top 15 NCAA team. The Panthers have made 7 straight NCAA tournament trips leading into this year. Pitt plays at the state of the art Peterson Events Center, and has a strong local and national following. The “Pete” has sold out every season since its opening.
Football is by far the most popular sport in the region, with high school games routinely getting over 10,000 fans per game as well as extensive press coverage. College football is also popular, with residents supporting the local Pittsburgh Panthers, as well as the teams of Penn State or West Virginia. The NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers have been owned by the Rooney family since the team's founding in 1933. The team won four Super Bowls in a six-year span in the 1970s as well as a fifth championship in 2006.
The Pittsburgh region also has developed several NFL quarterbacks, giving Western Pennsylvania the nickname "Cradle of Quarterbacks."[68] Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly, Marc Bulger, George Blanda, Jeff Hostetler, Johnny Unitas, Bruce Gradkowski, Gus Frerotte, and recent Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch are from the area. Several famous running backs, including Tony Dorsett, Curtis Martin, Kevan Barlow, Mercury Morris, Larry Brown, Ernie Davis, Cookie Gilchrist and Joe Marconi are also from Pittsburgh. Several former offensive line greats, including Jim Covert, Russ Grimm, Reggie Wells, and Bill Fralic also hail from the area. Several notable defensive players are from the Pittsburgh area, including Pro Hall of Famers Joe Schmidt and Randy White, defensive end Jason Taylor, cornerback Ty Law and linebacker LaVar Arrington. Several current NFL Players grew up in the Greater Pittsburgh, including Shawntae Spencer and Steve Breaston in addition to the aforementioned Ty Law, Jason Taylor and Charlie Batch. Notable NHL players from the Pittsburgh area include Ryan Malone of the Tampa Bay Lightning and R.J. Umberger of the Columbus Blue Jackets. There is also a long list of baseball stars such as Ken Griffey, Jr., Ken Griffey, Sr., Stan Musial, and Honus Wagner, as well as numerous Olympic gold medalists such as wrestler Kurt Angle, Roger Kingdom and John Woodruff and was where Jim Furyk and Arnold Palmer learned to play golf. Pittsburgh also claims many professional sports coaching legends as its own including George Karl, Marvin Lewis, Mike Ditka, Marty Schottenheimer, Mike McCarthy, Bill Cowher, Joe Walton, Barry Alvarez, Chuck Knox, Terry Francona, Chuck Daly, Ken Macha, Dick Nolan, Sean Miller, Chuck Tanner and Art Howe.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won three Eastern Conference championships in 1991, 1992, and 2008, and Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. They are owned by Mario Lemieux, who was on the team from 1984-2006. They play their home games at Mellon Arena, the oldest arena in the NHL, but is being replaced by the Consol Energy Center, slated to open for the 2010-2011 NHL season.
Pittsburgh has been home to the
